Unbreakable Heart
by cocopops1995
Summary: A collection of short scenes from the life of Jason Todd, all based on Three Days Grace songs.
1. Introduction

Hello and welcome to my newest collection of mostly one-shots. Each and every one is from Jason's point of view and they're all based on Three Days Grace songs because like 95% of their songs makes me think of Jason in some way. So without further ado, on to the story. This introduction is just the lyrics to the song that this collection is named after (don't worry, I am also publishing the first chapter now) because it totally reminds me of Jason in general. You don't need to know the songs use but it will sure help!

* * *

 **Unbreakable Heart**

 _Hijacked when you weren't looking_ _  
_ _Behind your back people are talking_ _  
_ _Using words that cut you down to size_ _  
_ _You want to fight back_ _  
_ _It's building inside you_ _  
_ _Holding you up_ _  
_ _Taking you hostage_ _  
_ _Yeah, it's worth fighting for_

 _They'll try to take your pride_ _  
_ _Try to take your soul_ _  
_ _They'll try to take all the control_ _  
_ _They'll look you in the eyes_ _  
_ _Fill you full of lies_ _  
_ _Believe me they're gonna try_ _  
_ _So when you're feeling crazy_ _  
_ _And things fall apart_ _  
_ _Listen to your head_ _  
_ _Remember who you are_

 _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the one_

 _Hijacked when you weren't looking_ _  
_ _Behind your back people are talking_ _  
_ _Using words that cut you down to size_ _  
_ _You want to fight back_ _  
_ _You're out in the open_ _  
_ _You're under attack_ _  
_ _But your spirit's not broken_ _  
_ _You know it's worth fighting for_

 _They'll try to take your pride_ _  
_ _Try to take your soul_ _  
_ _They'll try to take all the control_ _  
_ _They'll look you in the eyes_ _  
_ _Fill you full of lies_ _  
_ _Believe me they're gonna try_ _  
_ _So when you're feeling crazy_ _  
_ _And things fall apart_ _  
_ _Listen to your head_ _  
_ _Remember who you are_

 _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the one_

 _Don't look them in the eyes_ _  
_ _Believe me they're gonna try_ _  
_ _To fill you up with lies_

 _They'll try to take your pride_ _  
_ _Try to take your soul_ _  
_ _(You're the one, you're the one)_ _  
_ _They'll look you in the eyes_ _  
_ _Fill you full of lies_

 _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the unbreakable heart_ _  
_ _You're the one_ _  
_ _You're the one_

* * *

Ps: there will be one chapter every 3 days and 11 (maybe 10, I'm still debating writing the last one) chapters in total.


	2. Tell Me Why

" _Tell me why does everything that I love get taken away from me."_

The first time Jason lost everything was when his mother died. Although she didn't care for him as a mother should, she was still his mom and he loved her as such.

His world shattered the day she overdosed and left him all alone. He spent a solid two days sitting beside her, alternating between crying and begging for her to wake up, he had been too young to realise that she was dead at first. It was only when her current boyfriend barged in looking for her, probably looking to get laid, that Jason had to come to terms with the harsh reality that his mother was dead.

The man beat Jason for being a stupid brat and not calling 911. For once Jason didn't fight back. He had been stupid and his mother was dead because of him. He deserved that beating. As the man went to call 911 Jason snuck out and never returned. He never really got the time he needed to grieve, he had to learn to survive, and do so quickly. There was no time for grieving.

" _How come nothing ever lasts? It goes from good to bad to worse so fast."_

The second time he lost everything was when the Joker killed him. It was so much worse this time because he wasn't just loosing a mother that didn't really care much about him.

This time he was loosing Bruce, the man who had given him so much over the past few years and who Jason knew, despite the fact that he couldn't quite live up to the expectations of the Bat, still cared for him more than his mother ever did. He was loosing Dick who, although it was his perfect mold that Jason could never fit into, still was the big brother Jason had wished for on so many lonely nights while he was living on the streets. He was loosing Alfred, the closest thing to a grandfather he would ever get, who patched up all his injuries whether they be big or small and always made everything seem better with a kind word and a sweet cookie.

He was loosing all that and it was enough to make him want to cry out in pain and frustration as he watched the timer on the bomb tick down and realised that Bruce wouldn't be in time to save him this time. He wouldn't let the tears that were burning behind his bottom eyelids fall, he would not let the Joker have that satisfaction. Even if he wasn't there to see it. At least, Jason thought as the timer ticked to 1, he would die with a small amount of his dignity intact.

" _Here I am alone again…"_

Then he was brought back to life, but that didn't mean that he got everything he had lost back.

He couldn't go back to Bruce, wouldn't. The man obviously hadn't cared about him as much as he had thought since he hadn't done jack to avenge his death. Dick and Alfred were both on Bruce's side so they would never accept him again either. But that was okay.

Jason was through with getting attached to people. From now on he would be on his own and stay on his own. He wasn't exactly looking forward to it, he remembered how lonely it had been when he'd been on his own as a child, but Jason didn't think he could take the pain of having everything he held dear being taken away from him again. At least you can't loose everything if you don't have anything.

" _Tell me why does everything that I love get taken away from me. Why does everything that I love get taken away from me?"_


	3. Chalk Outline

Red Hood surveyed the scene below him with a grim smirk beneath his mask. Drug dealers lay strewn across the alley floor, not one left breathing. A feeling if grim satisfaction came over him as he looked over his work from the above rooftop. No kids would be getting any drugs from these guys again, that was for sure.

He was just about to pull out his grapnel gun to carry on his patrol when he heard someone land on the roof behind him. He immediately tensed, it could only be one person.

"Red Hood." Batman's growling voice addressed him.

He briefly considered just taking off but immediately dismissed the thought, Batman would follow him anyway, better to hear what he had to say now so that he could get back to his work faster.

"Hey Batman," He greeted nonchalantly, without turning around, "What's up?"

Batman was standing next to him now, doing the same as Red Hood had been doing a few minutes earlier – surveying the blood bath below.

"Jason…" The voice that came from beneath the cowl this time was not that of the Dark Knight, rather it was that of Bruce, and it sounded horrified, "Why? Why do you keep doing this?"

The question, as well as the tone in which it had been asked, angered Jason greatly because hadn't he been over this already? Hadn't he made it abundantly clear?

"Why?" Red Hood snarled, spinning to finally face Batman.

' _You left me there like a chalk outline,'_

"You just left me, Bruce!" that hadn't been what he was about to say, but now that it was out he couldn't take it back, nor did he particularly want to. He wanted Bruce to understand why he was doing all this.

' _On the side walk, waiting for the rain to wash away.'_

"You left me to die! I was alone, in pain…" his voice cracked on the last word and he angrily cleared his throat.

' _All you left behind…'_

Bruce needed to understand that every Jason did was _his own fault._

"All I was to you was another chalk outline on the side of the street." He pointed to the bodies below them, "Just like they will be."

' _Was a chalk outline.'_

"Is that reason enough for you, Bruce?"

Jason didn't wait for an answer. His rage consumed him and he was done with keeping it in control. So he let it all go and lunged at Batman.


	4. Just Like You

**AN: this chapter is dedicated to Savy160 in celebration of her being okay!**

 **Also, I should probably point out that this chapter continues directly from the end of the last one, whereas there was a time jump between the first and second chapters and there will be one between this one and the next.**

 **Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

' _I could be mean.'_

He levered a savage blow into Batman's jaw, sending the man reeling backwards.

' _I could be angry.'_

His vision had taken on a red tinge, just who the actual hell did Bruce think he was?

' _You know I could be just like you.'_

How could he ever have wanted to be like this man?

' _I could be fake.'_

He never really cared about Jason; that much was clear as he landed a hard kick to Jason side.

' _I could be stupid.'_

'Stupid! Don't let your guard down around him!'

' _You know I could be just like you.'_

Jason knows how Bruce thinks, how he fights. He can win this fight easily, he just has to think like Bruce does.

' _You thought you were standing beside me.'_

He blocked a fist aimed at his chin and countered with an elbow to Batman's solar plexus.

' _You were only in my way.'_

Batman took a few steps back and started reassessing his opponent.

' _You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you.'_

Beneath his helmet Red Hood smirked, Batman's fighting style hadn't changed all that much. Jason's had though.

' _You thought you were there to guide me._

' _You were only in my way!_

' _You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you!'_

'Dammit!' the curse ran through his head as Batman managed to knock him off his feet. He'd gotten too cocky and let his guard down again.

' _On my own,'_

"Jason, please!" Batman ground out as he struggled to pin Red Hood to the ground.

' ' _Cause I can't take living with you.'_

"I told you before, Bruce." He grunted as he managed to break out of the pin Batman had him in, "You had your chance."

' _I'm alone,'_

"I'm not coming back like your good little soldier."

' _So I won't turn out like you want me to!'_

"This is who I am now." He said as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Batman's head.

' _You thought you were sitting beside me.'_

"Jason," Bruce whispered from beneath Batman's cowl.

' _You were only in my way.'_

Jason's aim wavered at the tone of Bruce's voice.

"Please stop this."

' _You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you.'_

"Come home."

' _You thought you were there to guide me._

' _You were only in my way!_

' _You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you!'_

' _I could be mean.'_

"My home is not with you," Jason whispered as his arm dropped to his side, "Not anymore."

' _I could be angry.'_

He threw down a smoke pellet and ran as soon as it engulfed and hid him as would a cloak of invisibility.

' _You know I could be just like you.'_

Because no matter how much he hated Bruce, how much he hated that Bruce never meant anything that he said, Jason still couldn't kill him.

Maybe a small part of him had turned out like Bruce after all. Maybe a miniscule part of him didn't totally mind.


	5. Expectations

' _Ex_ _pectations go to hell_ _!'_

Jason was sick of people's expectations.

First there was Bruce, always expecting him to fill the perfect mold of the one and only Dick Grayson. As if anyone can live up to that expectation. Sometimes Jason thinks that even Dick doesn't live up to that expectation.

As the new Robin, criminals and crazies expected him to be a soft target since he couldn't be as good as the old Robin had been. Although he didn't quite live up to Bruce's expectations as Robin, it didn't take long for him to show them that their expectations of him needed to be raised significantly.

Then there was Dick, he expected Jason to be the perfect little brother. Although Dick acted otherwise, Jason knew he never lived up that expectation either.

The Joker expected Jason to be his helpless captive and compliant punching bag. Figures that the one expectation Jason sure as hell did NOT want to live up to would be the one that he basically excels at.

Death expected him to remain in her painless embrace for the rest of time. If how it felt when he came back to life is anything to go by then she did not appreciate his failure to live up to that expectation.

Apparently Ra's Al Ghul expected him to be completely normal after sending him for a swim in the Lazarus Pit. Jason thought that was a stupid ass expectation. No one could go through what he had gone through and come out of it normal.

' _Expectations go to hell!'_

As the Red Hood the criminals and villains expected him to be just like Batman. He quickly showed them that he was nothing like the Bat and it took little time for their expectations of him to move to where he expected them to be.

When Bruce found out that he'd come back to life he expected Jason to come back like a good little soldier, expected him to come home and pretend like it didn't matter that Jason and freaking died and Bruce hadn't even considered going after the man who took Jason away from him. Jason figures he made it abundantly clear to Bruce what he thought of that imbecilic expectation.

Dick at least had the sense to realise that things couldn't go all the way back to normal but still expected him to forgive and forget. To talk all his issues out with Bruce and try to make amends, as if it was possible to talk to a brick wall. Jason rolled his eyes every time he thought of it, and punched Dick in the face every time he brought it up.

The Joker apparently expected him to be some fanboy of his at first. After spending some quality time tied to a chair as Jason used him as a punching bag, however, those expectations changed. Jason wasn't sure what they were now and he quite frankly didn't give a damn.

Jason was done with caring about people's expectations. He was done with feeling like he could never please anyone. He was his own man now and the only expectations he needed to live up to were his own. Everyone else's expectations could go to hell for all he cared.

' _Expectations go to hell!'_

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 ** _AN: new posting schedule: every Wednesday and Sunday because this whole every 3 Days things is weird and annoying..._**


	6. Human Race vs The Real You

**AN: So the gap between this and the last chapter is pretty big.**

 _ **Italics = Human Race/Jason's POV**_

 _Italics = The Real You/Dick's POV_

' _ **I don't belong here.'**_

Jason didn't know what he had been thinking. After all he had done, how did he think he could go back to Bruce? That Bruce would ever accept him again?

Sure he had helped take care of a really bad guy, heck he'd even swapped his live ammo out for rubber bullets in hopes of… what? Showing Bruce that he'd changed? That he wanted to come home?

Jason shook his head as he stormed into the area of the cave where the exit to the outside world was located. As if that would work, Bruce would never accept him again. That had been made abundantly clear.

"Jason!" a voice called out as he swung his leg over his bike.

Jason sighed.

"Jason, wait!" it was Dick.

' _I will never give up on you.'_

Dick watched as Jason heaved a sigh and turned his head toward him.

"Don't leave." Dick said.

"Why?" Jason asked in a voice thick with suppressed with emotion, "It's obvious that Bruce doesn't want me here."

Dick shook his head, "Do you remember when we were kids and I told you that Bruce doesn't know how to express his emotions? Well, after all these years he still hasn't gotten any better at it, he still pretty much sucks at it. What _have_ improved over time though, are my Bruce translation skills. I can tell he wants you to stay."

Jason snorted and rolled his eyes so hard Dick thought he might have caught a glimpse of his brain.

"Yeah, right."

"C'mon, Jay." Dick said, "You can't give up now."

"Oh yeah? Why the heck not?"

"Because, we're not giving up on you, little brother."

' _ **Not in this atmosphere.'**_

'Little brother.'

Dick never stopped calling him that. Jason wondered if he really meant it, or if he just kept calling him that out of habit.

"Why?" Jason asked, "After all I've done. All the bad. How can any of you still want me around?"

Dick looked about to answer but Jason cut him off.

"I'll never belong with any of you again and you know it."

It hurt Jason to say it, but he knew in his heart that it was true.

' _I see the real you.'_

Dick smiled sadly, "No, I don't know that."

Jason looked up at him in surprise, and it hurt Dick to see how lost and sad his little brother looked in that instant.

"I do know the real you, though. Deep down under that tough outer shell of yours. He's been hiding for the longest time – in too much pain to come out – but I can see that he's trying to find his way back out again. Over the past few days it's been so obvious.

"Look, I know things will never go back to the way they used to be, no one expects that of you. Not even Bruce. We just want you to come back to us. You, not who you used to be, or who you think we want you to be, just you."

' _ **Goodbye, goodbye.'**_

Jason was stunned. Was that really true?

Jason shook his head, Dick was imagining things. Jason just couldn't bring himself to tell him that.

"Just let me go, okay? I won't bother you guys again. Tell Bruce I'll stay out of his hair."

' _Even if you don't, I do.'_

"No!" Dick responded tersely, "You might not be able to see what I do, but I do still see it! And you know what? Bruce sees it too. I know that because I can see the real him too."

Jason did that epic eye-roll again, it was beginning to get on Dick's nerves.

"Psh, what? You're the expert 'real you' spotter now?" He rolled his eyes again, "Please."

"I like to think so yes, at least when it comes to this family. I mean I have had years of practice deciphering the both of you."

' _ **Goodbye**_ _.'_

"It doesn't really matter, Dick, I'm still leaving."

Is that what he really wanted though? Not really. He couldn't stay though… he just… couldn't.

"Goodbye, Dick."

' _I do.'_

"Jay, please!" Dick begged, beginning to feel desperate now. He knew that if he didn't get Jason to stay now he might never get the chance to try again. His little brother would sink back under that shell and he might never come back out again, "Don't go. I really mean all that I said. You know I do. You know it because… because you can see the real _me!_ Please, Jay, don't leave."

Later that night Dick smiled, feeling happier than he had in years, as he watched his father and his little brother have a civilized conversation as Alfred brought in three steaming cups of hot chocolate.

He caught Alfred's eye and they shared a meaningful smile. Things wouldn't be easy, they never were, but they would be okay. Of that Dick was positive.

' _I will never give up on you. I see the real you. Even if you don't, I do, I do.'_


	7. Painkiller Part 1

**AN: This once again takes place a year or 2 after the last chapter. The next four chapters will be based on one song and follow directly after each other. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

" _I, I can be you painkiller, killer, killer…"_

All he thought as he killed two men who had been beating a little girl was that he needed to make her pain stop. Her cries had made something twist painfully in his gut as he had been patrolling around the area. He didn't know why, he just knew that he had to make them stop.

As soon as he was finished with them he directed all his attention to the girl. She was curled in on herself and for a moment Jason froze. She was so small. What could have driven those pigs to beating such a small child? The thought made him wish that he'd killed them slowly and painfully, but he quickly pushed it aside – she needed his attention right now more than they did.

On inspection he found that she was only semi-conscious. He immediately gathered her into his arms, she felt as light as a feather to him, and rushed her to Leslie's clinic. He kept talking her along the way and he managed to learn her name. Alison.

Not wanting to draw undue attention to himself; he entered the clinic without his mask and walked straight up to Leslie and explained what had happened. Leslie didn't recognise him of course, he hadn't been in this clinic since before he died, but she did seem to be trying to place his face as he spoke.

Luckily he finished explaining before she could and she immediately got to businesses; calling for a stretcher and whisking Alison away to be treated. He'd been on better terms with Bruce lately, they'd basically worked out their issues, but he was still mostly out on his own and he wasn't in the mood for Leslie to recognise him and get Bruce involved.

He'd been fully prepared to walk out of the clinic and leave Alison to Leslie, he knew the old doctor would make sure she was alright and get her into a good foster home if she could, but as a nurse handed him some forms to fill in with regards to Alison he found himself hesitating. He didn't know why, but he couldn't quite stomach the idea of leaving her alone. So he sat down and started filling out the form. He filled his name in as Eren Hunter and hers as Alison Hunter. Again he's not sure why he gave them the same surname, it kind of just happened, but it feels right.

He shakes his head and wonders if he should have his head checked. How could something like that 'feel right' when the feeling was about a girl he'd barely had one conversation with?

Leslie comes back out again about an hour later. She reads the forms and seems to accept the information written on it with a curt nod. She then explains that Alison had a couple of bruised ribs and a broken arm as well as some pretty nasty bruising. She would need to stay at the hospital for a few days because she was also quite undernourished and a little dehydrated, then she would need to be taken home and kept in bed for a further 2 weeks at least. She would need to return to the clinic in 6 weeks to have the cast on her arm removed. At that Leslie fixes him with a stare that says if he doesn't do as she says she'll hunt him down herself.

It's then that Jason realises that, crap, he's suddenly landed himself up with a huge responsibility. He had been planning on dropping her off at the one good orphanage in Gotham, but he definitely can't now, they'd never be able to provide her with the care she needed now.

It's surprisingly easy to play the role of a father who is worried yet relieved that he found his daughter that had been missing for a few weeks. Leslie assures him that she will survive and that there's no evidence of sexual assault. Jason doesn't need to act to show the relief at that fact.

He spends the next few days mostly at her bedside. She's suspicious of him at first but after somehow, Jason still has no idea how, realising that he was the one who saved her, she warms up to him. Jason is perplexed at this but doesn't say much about it. She doesn't seem to have an issue with going home with him.

He asks her how she can trust him so easily after what those two men had done to her. She shrugs and matter-of-factly informs him that he saved her, if he was like those men he wouldn't have done that, he would of joined in. She shrugs again and adds that he hasn't given her reason to not trust him, he's just really nice.

Jason can't remember the last time someone said he was nice and he has to smile in response. It's as she smiles back at him with one eye black and swollen closed, the other little puffy but open enough for the soft green to shine through and her stringy dirty blond hair handing down to her shoulders that he realises just how small and defenseless she looks. It's in this moment that an inexplicable urge to protect her from all the bad in the world flares up inside of him. He doesn't try to fight it.


	8. Painkiller Part 2

' _Love you 'til it's all over, over.'_

Over the next few weeks he got to know her better as she grew more comfortable with him.

He learnt that Alison's surname, coincidentally, actually was Hunter and that she was in fact 12 years old, not 8 like he had assumed at first. When he expressed his surprise at her age she shrugged and said that she was small for her age. Jason rolled his eyes and replied with a deadpan: "You don't say.

He also learnt that her favourite colour is blue, that she hates broccoli and she loves to read. Jason was pleased to learn that last one and went out the next day and got her the first 5 Percy Jackson books. She immediately dove into them and could barely put them down. He couldn't blame her; they were his favourite books growing up and he had kept up with the newest ones as they came out. He'd definitely need to get her the next 5 some time soon.

Another thing he learned about her was that up until recently her favourite hero had been Nightwing. That had earned an eye roll so hard that he was pretty sure he almost saw his brain. Then she said that her new favourite was Red Hood for obvious reasons and that little tidbit made his heart do a little happy dance for reasons he could not fathom. She also explained that she knew Jason was the Red Hood because she recognised his voice, which he found to be pretty impressive since she had only been semi-conscious at the time.

After about 3 weeks he found out what had happened to her. It happened one night after she had woken up screaming from a nightmare, something that she had done almost every night since he had brought her to his home. She'd never before wanted to talk about the nightmares, and he wasn't about to force her into it, but that night she just seemed to break and the story tumbled from her mouth in fragmented pieces in between her sobs, and hiccups later on.

She had been with the men in the alley since she was 8 – since the night they broke into her home, killed her parents, and kidnapped her. They took her and treated her as their slave, making her clean after them and things like that. She didn't try to escape at first because she knew she didn't have anywhere to go and wouldn't be able to fend for herself on the streets. Until the night Jason found her in that alley. She'd overheard the men earlier that night, arguing over whether or not she was old enough yet to be used for sex. It was then that she knew she had to escape, so she ran out the front door and just kept running. They caught up to her in that alley, and Jason knew the rest.

The pain in her voice and the nature of her story made Jason once again wish that he had killed those pigs slowly and painfully instead of as quickly as he had.

She cried herself to sleep in his arms that night and he couldn't bring himself to leave her alone, so he carried her to his bed and slept with her in his arms. Neither of them had another nightmare that night.

It was as he was pouring milk into her cereal the next day that he realised that he was slowly beginning to love her as something like a daughter. The realisation made him spill the milk, which earned him a weird look from Alison.


	9. Painkiller Part 3

**Sorry this is late!**

* * *

' _The shoulder you cry on.'_

A week later he entered the secret floor of his apartment where he kept all his Red Hood related things after his first patrol since the night he had saved Alison just over a month ago. He'd taken her to Leslie's clinic earlier that day for a check up and she had been awarded a 90% clean bill of health – she was still a little underweight but much less than before. Her arm was still in a cast, but Leslie said that it was healing well so it would be able to come off in about 2 weeks time.

Jason had sat Alison down an hour or two afterwards to discuss him going out on patrol again. She had seemed fine with being on her own for a few hours and Jason had assured her that of she needed anything she could go to their neighbour, John Diggle, he was basically the only one of Jason neighbours that he actually trusted. Jason wasn't exactly comfortable with leaving her on her own, but his neighbourhood had been getting restless again and he needed to assure all the lowlife that he was still around. He left her with strict instructions to not leave the apartment unless it was burning down, and not to open the door for anyone except John when he dropped by to check in on her.

As soon as he had changed into casual clothes Jason peeked into her room and found her fast asleep. The sight of her sleeping form allowed his stomach, which had been clenched uncomfortably ever since he left earlier that evening, to loosen.

He had just stepped out of the shower and pulled on the sweatpants he liked to sleep in when he heard her scream. He grabbed his gun and ran for her room. Something about the way she had just screamed had been different from when she had nightmares. This time it sounded more real, more terrified.

He burst into her room, fully expecting to have to shoot someone. Instead, all he found was his little girl sitting up in bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and sobbing into her arms. He tucked his gun into the back of his waistband and said her name.

When she looked up it seemed as if she had only just registered that he was there and practically flew into his arms. He held her tightly as she clung to him as if he might disappear, whispering to her in what he hoped was a comforting tone until finally, after what felt like an age, she started to calm down.

When she was finally able to speak again she told him that she had had a nightmare, apparently the worst one she had ever had. She dreamt that he had died while on patrol. The admission shocked Jason, her worst nightmare was that he died on patrol? The realisation twisted his heart painfully.

He tried comforting her by assuring her that he was right there. She countered with the "What if one day you're not?" question. Jason didn't know how else to answer that question other than to assure her that from now on he would be careful. He really would be, he didn't have anything important to come back home to before, but now he did. She wasn't totally satisfied though. She had apparently noticed some of his scars, she knew that he wasn't indestructible.

He sighed and carried her to the Red Hood section of his apartment, there he showed her his spare communicator and taught her how to contact either Nightwing, Batman or Oracle, so that if one day he didn't come home or came back too injured to help himself she would be able to get help and promised her that she would never be alone ever again. He figured that he should probably tell at least Dick about her sometime soon.

These instructions seemed to calm her down and she seemed to start falling asleep in his arms.

"Jason," her soft voice reached his ears as he was about to turn into her room.

"Yeah, baby girl?"

"Can I sleep with you again tonight? Like last week? Please. I don't want to be alone tonight."

Jason smiled softly, "Of course."


	10. Painkiller Part 4

' _The dose that you die on…'_

The night he found himself in the medical wing of the batcave, waiting at Alison's bedside, was probably one of the worst nights of his life.

The whole night had gone to hell the moment the news report about the Joker's escape had come on the television. Almost immediately following that announcement had been a call from Batman himself, asking for backup.

He had to leave Alison at home, as usual. He hadn't had the time to ask John to keep an eye on her again, but he reminded her to go to him if there was an emergency. It was all he could do in that moment. At least that's what he had thought.

He met up with Batman, Nightwing, Red Robin and Robin a little while later and they set out on their search for the Joker. It took a few hours to find him. When they finally did he already had a group of six hostages trapped inside a clear box made of some form of plastic. They were all gagged and had their hands tied behind them. One of them seemed to be a young girl.

The Joker babbled on about wanting to fight Batman on his own for once and the clever plan he concocted to keep the others busy. Jason wasn't really paying attention though. The girl looked an awful lot like Alison, but it couldn't be. She was safe at home. She had to be. Then the girl looked up at him and, good lord, he would know those eyes anywhere. He let out a string of curses so bad that Alfred would have had him washing his mouth out with soap for a month if he had heard them as the box began filling with the Joker's laughing gas. As it was the others all looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Batman was quick to snap out of it though and quickly ordered Red Hood, Red Robin and Robin to help the hostages while he and Nightwing went after Joker.

It was the quickest rescue Jason had ever pulled off. They each had 2 hostages to take care of and Jason make quick work of injecting both Alison and the other guy with the antidote that they all carried for Joker's laughing gas before turning all his attention to Alison. He spent the next few minutes ignoring Red Robin's questions while he just held her and silently begged for her to wake up so he would know that she was okay.

Nightwing and Batman returned a little while later. Nightwing, being the unusually perceptive person that he is, took one look at Jason and Alison and apparently figured out what was going on immediately. Batman on the other hand demanded an explanation.

The last thing Jason wanted to do at that moment was explain the whole situation. All he wanted to do was take Alison home but Dick stopped him with the suggestion that he bring her to the cave where Alfred could check her over and make sure she really was alright. Jason would have been an idiot to turn down that offer and he knew it.

He explained to the others about Alison while Alfred was checking her over. His eyes never leaving her as he spoke to them. Damian didn't seem to care all that much. Tim obviously didn't approve, the kid probably thought Jason would try to kill her in her sleep or something. Bruce seemed a little skeptical about whether Jason was ready to take on such a responsibility. Dick, with his perceptiveness, could see how much Jason already loved and cared for her and seemed to be fully in support of him looking after her.

Jason didn't really care what anyone of them thought, although he did appreciate Dick's support – his annoying older brother had always had his back, whether he deserved it or not. He didn't need any of the others' approval. What he did need was for Alison wake up already. Alfred assured him that she was alright, she was just taking a while to wake up because the residual effects of the gas hadn't completely worn off yet. The assurances didn't really do much to appease his queasy stomach.

Then, as if she had heard his thoughts, Alison opened her eyes. As soon as he saw those beautiful green eyes, open and clear, he felt his stomach settle and couldn't hold back a couple of tears of relief. She seemed confused and afraid at first but as soon as her eyes landed on Jason she relaxed.

When he asked her how the Joker had gotten into the apparent she shook her head and claimed that he didn't. She then pointed out that Jason had left without finishing his supper earlier that night. She explained that she knew he would be hungry when he got back so she wanted to make him a bacon and cheese omelet, like how he taught her to a few days earlier, for when he got back so he wouldn't have to worry about getting something to eat. She hadn't been able to find any bacon, though, so she grabbed $20 from the emergency cash and quickly ran down to the store on the corner of their block. She remembered walking into the store and grabbing a pack of bacon, then being in the box, a weird smell, scary laughter and being unable to breathe, and then the next thing she knew she was awake in the cave.

Jason had to take a couple of deep breaths before replying. He was pretty mad; she had directly disobeyed his instructions to stay inside the apartment at all times and she'd used some of the emergency cash, both for bacon of all things. He was also touched, she'd been more worried about him than she had been about getting into trouble. He couldn't decided which emotion to go with though. Finally he decided to go with a mixture of both. He made it clear that, although he appreciated why she did it, obeying the rules he set out for her for when he wasn't around were the most important and breaking them were unacceptable. He also explained that he would not punish her this time, being kidnapped by the Joker and nearly killed was more than enough of a punishment, but if she ever pulled something like that again he would take her books away for a month. That last threat got the desired reaction out of her: she nodded fervently and promised to never ever do it again.

Suddenly he heard laughter behind him, he turned to see Dick stepping out from the shadows behind him and rolled his eyes. Dick joined them and introduced himself to Alison as her "coolest uncle ever." This caused Jason to roll his eyes again, he was certain that he saw his brain that time around.

He had to smile though as Dick coaxed a small giggle out of Alison. She was alive and safe and that's all that really mattered to him. Bruce and the others could all go take a nosedive off the nearest cliff if they had a problem with Jason keeping her with him. She was _his_ baby girl. As far as he cared, nothing in heaven or on earth would change that and, he thought as she glanced up at him with a look of pure love that only a child could give, it seemed to be a safe bet that she felt the same.

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 **AN: Thank you so much to those of you who have fav, followed and reviewed this story! I'm marking it complete for now, but you never know when another Three Days Grace song *cough* animal I have become *cough* might inspire another little one of these stories! For those of you who enjoyed this last little piece with Alison, I am planning on in writing an extended version of it. I'm not going to say when it will start posting as I'm not going to have much time to write over the next couple of months, and I want to write the whole thing before I start posting, but keep an eye out for it! Thanks again to all of you awesome peeps!**


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